Michigan’s low-income men and women have a better chance at receiving justice, due to recent legislation signed by Gov. Rick Snyder.

House Bills 5842-5846 and Senate Bill 1109 move the Michigan Indigent Defense Commission from the judicial branch to the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs – helping to establish the agency’s independence from Michigan’s judicial branch. The newly formed Public Acts 439-444 help ensure the state meets constitutional obligations.

Sponsored by State Reps. Kurt Heise, Martin Howrylak, Klint Kesto, Vanessa Guerra, David LaGrand and State Sen. Rick Jones, the legislation promotes fairness for impoverished defendants in criminal cases, officials say.

“Ensuring that every Michigander has access to affordable and competent legal counsel is critical to our public defense system and our democracy,” Snyder says. “These bills help us continue to make sure those who have been accused of crimes receive the fair and capable legal representation they are guaranteed under the Constitution.”

Legal studies have typically shown indigent defendants are more frequently convicted in criminal cases, given charges and circumstances similar to those faced by more privileged defendants.

For more information visit www.legislature.mi.gov.

  Governor Rick Snyder, Michigan Indigent Defense Commission, Public Acts 439-444, State Representative David LaGrand, State Representative Klint Kesto, State Representative Kurt Heise, State Representative Martin Howrylak, State Representative Vanessa Guerra, State Senator Rick Jones